ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · kick · key · spring · wake · bear · vault · content

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. spring — of water
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. key — in music
  6. kick — in football
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. vault — a safe
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. content — happy
  12. drill — a practice
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. content — the amount
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spring — a coil
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. spring — the season
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. drill — army training
  24. key — the most important part

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com